Fences

When we moved into the North End five years ago, we made a conscious decision not to build a high privacy fence.  In our last home in West Kildonan, we enjoyed sharing yards with our neighbours and their kids.  Although we needed a fence in our new place, both for our kids’ freedom and their protection, we didn’t want to shut off contact with our neighbours.  So we had a chain link fence put in (it didn’t hurt that it was cheaper).

There have been drawbacks, of course.  When belongings are plainly visible to all those walking by, they are easier targets for theft.  Theft is the main reason that many in my neighbourhood are resorting to tall wooden fences, locked front gates, and high sliding back gates.  And the attempted theft and vandalism of our vehicles is why we would love a garage.

I still have mixed feelings about a garage as it will cut off my view of the back alley and make us even more separate from our neighbours on the other side.  

Our decision to be visible to the neighbours beside us has been of benefit to us for the most part.  Seeing as both houses are rentals, we’ve had a real mix of neighbours, but we have enjoyed getting to know them.

Right now, on one side, we have fun entertaining a toddler, sharing our favourite books, lending and borrowing things, and helping each other out.  On the other side, our kids enjoy the attention three brothers give them.  We are amazed at how patient they are with all the questions our kids ask.  If you come by, you will often see a game of hoops or catch happening across the fence.

Fences are a shared border between properties.  Fences give a sense of what belongs to whom.  Fences help keep what/whom we love, safe from intruders.  Disagreements over fences have been known to create animosity between neighbours for years.  The fences in a community reflect the level of trust and the openness among its inhabitants and are a powerful tool in shaping the life of a community.  We need to be careful that our fences don’t prevent us from experiencing the joy of sharing with those who live near us.

Regardless of how different from us we perceive our neighbours to be, our lives will be enriched when we decide to find common ground and build relationship.  Sometimes it comes down to the type of fence we choose.